Top Republican legislators say they don't support tax increases

Thursday

Apr 30, 2009 at 12:01 AMApr 30, 2009 at 3:43 AM

The state’s top Republican legislators say they want a major capital construction plan passed, but they do not support tax increases to fund it or to help eliminate the state’s crippling budget deficit. House Minority Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego, and Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno, R-Lemont, met Thursday morning with the State Journal-Register Editorial Board.

State Capitol Bureau

The state’s top Republican legislators say they want a major capital construction plan passed, but they do not support tax increases to fund it or to help eliminate the state’s crippling budget deficit.

House Minority Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego, and Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno, R-Lemont, met Thursday morning with the State Journal-Register Editorial Board. Cross said he is "cautiously optimistic" that the legislature will pass the capital plan to fund road construction, mass transit, school construction, and higher education infrastructure. However, he is "not keen" on raising the state's gas tax to pay for it.

Cross and Radogno also said they don’t think increasing the state’s income tax is the best way to fight the $11.6 billion deficit. They would like to see serious reforms in Medicaid and the state's pension system before considering Gov. Pat Quinn's tax hikes.

"If we don't have the guts to make changes I don't think it's fair to ask people to pay more taxes," Radogno said.

Cross and Radgno both said that House Speaker Michael Madigan is the wild card in any capital plan discussions.

Both Cross and Radogno have discussed the capital plan with Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, and Gov. Pat Quinn and all agree that such a plan is important. Neither have spoken to Madigan, D-Chicago, about the capital plan.

"I don't know about the speaker," said Cross. "If Mike wants to talk, we will."

The two Republicans said they want to consider the ethics reform ideas from Pat Quinn's Illinois Reform Commission, including reforming the way state legislative districts are drawn and placing limits on campaign contributions.

They also discussed the 2010 election. Because of the stalemate in state government and the recent impeachment of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Cross says the GOP has a good chance and winning the gubernatorial race and possibly a U.S. Senate seat.

Neither he nor Radogno floated their own name as contenders for governor's office, but Cross said the GOP has a plethora of qualified candidates, such as DuPage County State's Attorney Joe Birkett and state Senator Kirk Dillard among others.

State Capitol Bureau

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